


Home Again

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Barba's barba, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Post-Episode: s21e13 Redemption in Her Corner, Prompts meme, domestic as fuck, so soft you could wrap a baby in it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:08:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22869118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: Sonny comes home from work after Rafael gets back from Iowa [prompts: teaching each other to dance; celery].
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 21
Kudos: 96
Collections: Barisi Valentine Prompt Challenge 2020





	Home Again

There's music on the stereo and the soft, steady _thwack thwack thwack_ of Rafael chopping vegetables when Sonny opens the door to the apartment.

Sonny pauses after putting down his briefcase to just watch Rafael for a moment. He's been back from Iowa for less than a day and looks refreshed after a night's sleep and a day at home. He's wearing jeans and a pink T-shirt as he rocks his hips to the music and dumps diced onions into a pan on the stove. 

"There you are," Rafael says, catching sight of Sonny as he looks around the counter for his next vegetable. He puts the knife down on the cutting board and walks over to Sonny, standing on his toes to kiss him hello.

"Mmmm," Sonny hums with pleasure. He lifts his hand and cups Rafael's cheek, chuckling quietly when Rafael's beard tickles his palm. "Someone got an early start on the wine."

"Had to open it for the sauce," Rafael replies, eyes practically twinkling as he pulls away. "I'm only about three sips in. Get changed. I'll pour you a glass."

Sonny nuzzles Rafael's temple for a moment, smelling his shampoo and the scent of fresh vegetables. He pulls away slowly, sneaking one more kiss to Rafael's mouth, then stepping away to go to the bedroom and get into more comfortable clothes. He shucks his suit and slips into his own jeans and T-shirt. He stretches as he walks down the hall, cataloging his day to figure out what to tell Rafael first, but he comes up short at the end of the hallway. 

Rafael's in the small space between the open air kitchen and their living room furniture, humming along to the song on the stereo as he moves in a smooth salsa step. He has a full stalk of celery in one hand, tapping it in the air to the beat. 

Sonny laughs quietly and steps towards Rafael, curling his fingers into Rafael's offered hand and pulling Rafael in close. Sonny knows his salsa moves are, at best, a bit awkward and full of too-stiff knees, but Rafael never cares. He keeps moving now, murmuring instructions under his breath when Sonny falters a step, and singing under his breath as he flips the celery stick sideways and offers it to Sonny like it's a rose. 

Sonny beams and bites into the celery stalk, throwing his head back with an exaggerated shake that has Rafael laughing. They stumble through the rest of the song, and as the next one starts, Rafael curls his hand warm and familiar on Sonny's hip and moves them in mirror image of one another. 

It's so good to have him home, Sonny thinks as he misses a step and barely manages not to step on Rafael's toes. There's nothing like the feeling of nights like this, when there's good wine and good food on the way and the brilliance of Rafael at his most relaxed to spend time with.

"One more," Rafael whispers as the song changes again, this time to something slow, something they can simply hold each other and sway to.

Sonny takes the celery stalk out of his mouth and tosses it towards the kitchen counter, not checking to see if it makes it. "I can always do one more," he says quietly, pulling Rafael in close with an arm around his waist and pressing Rafael's hand to his own chest. 

They sway gently, both humming along with the song, and simply taking a moment to be with each other again.


End file.
